


A Holonovel's End

by NervousAsexual



Series: Odo Writes a Holonovel [5]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-24 04:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10733814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NervousAsexual/pseuds/NervousAsexual
Summary: After the events of "What You Leave Behind," Quark powers up Odo Holonovel v1.2 one last time.





	A Holonovel's End

Quark brought his own chair to the holosuite this time. He picked the comfiest one in the place, the one he kept in the store room for long nights playing tongo. He locked up the bar, carried the chair down to the holosuite, threw it against the wall when it pinched his fingers, and dragged it inside.

When he was inside, though, and the chair was set up, and he'd taken his seat, he found he couldn't say much of anything. He examined his fingernails for a while. He picked a bit of flaked blood flea out of his teeth.

"Compu--" he started to say, but his voice cracked a little and he adjusted the pleats on his trousers instead.

He picked lint off his clothes for a long time before he finally managed to say, "Computer, are there any holonovels authored by security chief... by Odo?"

"Checking library. Checking... one holonovel. Title: Odo Holonovel v1.2."

"Run that one."

The holosuite began to hum--he'd have to get ops to look at that, it really shouldn't be making that noise--and it called up a single chair in the middle of the floor, not even a meter in front of his. And in the chair sat Odo, fingers pressed into a pyramid and legs crossed. He gazed at Quark and Quark, his eyes starting to itch, looked away to scratch at them.

He said nothing and the program said nothing.

"I don't suppose you heard," Quark said at last, focusing very hard on a point over holo-Odo's shoulder. "Odo's gone now. The real Odo."

Holo-Odo nodded for him to continue.

"He went back to his people. Person? He went back to the Big Puddle, anyway. Which if you ask me was a silly thing to do. Everyone knows those aren't really Odo's people. We're Odo's people. Me especially. I'm Odo's people."

He frowned very hard. His eyes were itching again.

"He didn't even say goodbye."

Holo-Odo watched him silently.

"Not that I needed a goodbye or anything! He loves me." Quark nodded to himself, because he knew that was true.

"Quark." It was the first think holo-Odo had said and it made him frown even harder. Holo-Odo put his head to one side. "What is it you need from me?"

"I don't know." He got up and pushed at the comfy chair. "This was a stupid idea anyway." He picked up the chair and turned to go. "Computer, shut down..."

"Wait."

Quark looked back. Holo-Odo was on his feet and he took a step closer.

"I can't offer advice," holo-Odo said. "That is not my function."

"No?" He scoffed to himself. "Just as well. I'm getting tired of people and their advice." He set the comfy chair down and squeezed at the cushioned back. "So what is it, then? Your function?"

In answer holo-Odo stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him.

It wasn't the same Odo, Quark told himself, but it felt really close. Everything was perfect down to the faint fluid noise of whatever goop it was that made up Odo. It wasn't the same thing, he told himself again, so he wouldn't feel bad when he put his arms around the Odo that was here and hugged him back as tight as he could.

"If he didn't say goodbye," holo-Odo said quietly, his chin tucked against Quark's forehead, "then he thought he was going to come back."

He wasn't going to cry. That would be silly. The holonovel didn't actually know anything about feelings or about how Quark and Odo did things. All it knew was whatever Odo had put into it. "He was going back permanently. That was the deal. He isn't going to come back."

"And yet he didn't say goodbye."

And he didn't say goodbye.

"He'll be back."

"What do you know? You're just a computer simulation."

"Why, Quark." Holo-Odo sounded almost hurt. "Have I ever lied to you?"

No, he had to admit. He hadn't.


End file.
